The city government here turned over the historical Jaro municipal building to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), following the signing of a deed of usufruct at the Iloilo City hall on Thursday.

Mayor Jerry Treñas highlighted the building’s significance, calling it “one of the jewels of Iloilo City” and expressing optimism that it will be utilized effectively under the NCCA’s stewardship.

“The Jaro Municipio is one of the jewels of Iloilo City. Iloilo has so many jewels, this is one of the best that we could offer. We hope the Jaro Municipio will really be put to good use,” he said in his message.

Signatories to the agreement included Treñas, NCCA Chairperson Victorino Mapa Manalo, NCCA Executive Director Erick Zerrudo, and Iloilo City Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon.

This makes Iloilo City the first in the country to have its own NCCA regional and cultural hub.

The heritage site will now serve as a center for NCCA’s services, including cultural archiving and heritage conservation efforts.

Manalo said there is much to learn from Iloilo City, especially its efforts in cultural mapping, urban landscape, and heritage conservation, including its underground cabling efforts.

To further strengthen cultural initiatives, the NCCA also signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI).

Zerrudo underscored IFFI’s proven capability in cultural programming and announced that the organization would receive a grant to fund arts and heritage conservation projects.

“We’ve seen the performance of this organization and I think they will be able not just deliver but translate the services of NCCA in Iloilo and even for the whole region,” Zerrudo said.

Allan Ryan Tan, IFFI president who also signed the agreement, said the partnership is vital for the sustainability and innovation of local festivals as the city aims to become the festival capital of the country.

The 90-year-old art-deco Old Jaro Municipal Hall, designed by architect Juan Arellano, is part of the Jaro Plaza Complex, which, under Republic Act No. 10555—authored by Treñas during his term as City District Representative— was declared a “Cultural Heritage Tourism Zone,” along with other areas in this city.

Notably, the NCCA has allotted a PHP6.5 million budget for the repair and maintenance of the structure. (PNA)